'■1 


■  f  BRIEF  REVIEW 

OF  THE 

TEN  YEARS’  WO«K 

OF  THE 

JOHNS  HOPKINS  UNIVERSITY 

BY 


JAMES  CAREY  THOMAS,  M.  D. 

Om  of  the  Trustees 


An  Address  delivered  at  the  Tenth  Anniversary  of 
the  University,  April  26,  1886 


B ALTI  MORE 
I  886 


m 


JOHN  MURPHY  &  CO.,  PRINTERS, 
BALTIMORE. 


V' 

OCT  15  1930 

DUPI.ICATE 
.'■Xr«/|.r,F.O 


<11% 


ADDRESS. 


Ladies  and  Gentlemen: 

The  foundation  and  growth  of  a  University  is  an  event  of 
the  greatest  interest. 

Its  functions  and  use  have  been  elaborately  discussed  by 
many  modern  thinkers  and  scholars.  I  shall  call  your  atten¬ 
tion  to  three  statements  of  men  of  differing  schools  of  thought. 
Goldwin  Smith,  discussing  Oxford  University  organization,  says, 
“  Experience  seems  to  show  that  the  best  way  in  which  the 
University  can  promote  learning  and  advance  science  is 

“  (1)  by  allowing  its  teachers,  and  especially  the  holders  of  its 
great  Professorial  chairs,  a  liberal  margin  for  private  study ; 

“  (2)  by  keeping  its  libraries  and  scientific  apparatus  in  full 
efficiency  and  opening  them  as  liberally  as  possible ; 

“  (3)  by  assisting  through  its  press  in  the  publication  of  learned 
works  which  an  ordinary  publisher  would  not  undertake ; 

“  (4)  by  making  the  best  use  of  its  power  of  conferring  literary 
and  scientific  honors.” 

Matthew  Arnold  says,  the  university  “  ought  to  provide  facili¬ 
ties,  after  the  general  education  is  finished,  for  the  young  man  to 
go  on  in  the  line  where  his  special  aptitudes  lead  him,  be  it  that  of 
languages  and  literature,  of  mathematics,  of  the  natural  sciences, 
of  the  application  of  these  sciences,  or  any  other  line,  and  follow 
the  studies  of  this  line  systematically,  under  first-rate  teaching.” 

Again,  “  The  idea  of  a  university  is,  as  I  have  already  said,  that 
of  an  institution  not  only  offering  to  young  men  facilities  for 
graduating  in  that  line  of  study  to  which  their  aptitudes  direct 
them,  but  offering  to  them,  also,  facilities  for  following  that  line  of 
study  systematically  under  first-rate  instruction.  This  second 
function  is  of  incalculable  importance,  of  far  greater  importance 
even  than  the  first.  It  is  impossible  to  over-value  the  importance 

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to  a  young  man  of  being  brought  in  contact  with  a  first-rate  teacher 
of  his  matter  of  study,  and  of  getting  from  him  a  clear  notion  of 
what  the  systematic  study  of  it  means.” 

John  Henry  Newman  says,  “  It  is  a  great  point  then  to  enlarge 
the  range  of  studies  which  a  university  professes,  even  for  the  sake 
of  the  students  ;  and  though  they  cannot  pursue  every  study  which 
is  open  to  them,  they  will  be  gainers  by  living  among  those  and 
under  those  who  represent  the  whole  circle.  This  I  conceive  to  be 
the  advantage  of  a  seat  of  universal  learning,  considered  as  a  place 
of  education.  An  assemblage  of  learned  men,  zealous  for  their 
own  sciences  and  rivals  of  each  other,  are  brought  by  familiar  in¬ 
tercourse  and  for  the  sake  of  intellectual  peace  to  adjust  together 
the  claims  and  relations  of  their  respective  sub  jects  of  investigation. 
They  learn  to  respect,  to  consult,  to  aid  each  other.  Thus  is  created 
a  pure  and  clear  atmosphere  of  thought,  which  the  student  also 
breathes,  though  in  his  own  case  he  only  pursues  a  few  sciences  out 
of  the  multitude.  He  apprehends  the  great  outlines  of  knowledge, 
the  principles  on  which  it  rests,  the  scale  of  its  parts,  its  lights  and 
its  shades,  its  great  and  its  little,  as  he  otherwise  cannot  appre¬ 
hend  them. 

“  Hence  it  is  that  his  education  is  called  ‘  Liberal.’  A  habit  of 
mind  is  formed  which  lasts  through  life,  of  which  the  attributes 
are  freedom,  equitableness,  calmness,  moderation  and  wisdom. 
This  then  I  would  assign  as  the  special  fruit  of  the  education  fur¬ 
nished  at  a  university.  .  .  .  This  is  the  main  jDurpose  of  a  uni¬ 
versity  in  the  treatment  of  its  students.” 

And  a  great  thinker  of  another  generation,  George  Fox,  advised 
the  setting  up  of  schools  for  instructing  “  in  whatsoever  things  were 
civil  and  useful  in  the  creation.” 

We  may  then  conclude  that  a  university,  wisely  planned  and 
faithfully  administered,  should  be  able  to  gather  together  a  com¬ 
pany  of  teachers,  distinguished  in  character  and  learning ;  to 
present  courses  of  study,  important  and  thorough  ;  and  to  attract 
scholars  mature  in  age  and  competent  by  reason  of  previous 
training  to  pursue  special  lines  of  study,  in  order  to  fit  themselves 
in  a  worthy  manner  for  their  chosen  vocation.  It  should  be  wide 
in  its  scope  and  able  to  supplement  the  College,  and  aid  students 
to  perfect  themselves  in  many  departments  of  learning.  It  should 
provide  liberally  all  the  apparatus  for  this  study.  It  should  be 
rich  in  laboratories,  in  books,  in  instruments.  It  should  endow 


research  and  stimulate  investigation  and  discovery.  It  should  be 
prepared  to  give  results  of  work  done  within  its  halls  speedy  and 
wide  publicity  amongst  scholars  engaged  in  kindred  pursuits.  It 
should  give  its  contribution  to  society  by  training  men  who  are 
fitted  to  help  in  the  solution  of  the  problems  of  the  age — scientific, 
social,  political,  moral  and  religious,  both  by  stimulating  the 
production  of  books,  and  by  contributions  to  the  journals  and 
literature  of  the  day.  It  should  encourage  all  noble  aspirations, 
conserve  all  good  inheritances  of  the  past,  and  create  an  atmos¬ 
phere  of  enthusiasm  for  hard  work.  It  should  be  able  to  bestow 
honors  worthy  of  the  name  in  reward  for  faithful  devotion  and 
for  the  successful  fulfillment  of  its  courses  of  study.  Its  work 
should  be  known  and  recognized  where  learning  is  known  and 
recognized,  and  its  name  should  carry  weight  in  other  univer¬ 
sities  and  centres  of  research  in  the  world  of  letters. 

Such  thoughts  as  these,  I  am  sure.  Judge  Dobbin,  were  in 
your  mind  and  in  the  minds  of  the  other  trustees  to  whom  was 
entrusted  by  our  late  towns-man  Johns  Hopkins,  the  foundation 
and  guidance  of  this  university  which  was  to  bear  his  name. 
On  the  completion  of  the  first  decade  of  its  existence,  in  the 
presence  of  the  trustees  and  the  President  and  faculty  of  the 
university,  before  the  graduates,  the  present  fellows,  and  students 
of  the  university,  and  in  the  presence  of  this  company  of  our 
friends  and  fellow-citizens,  it  has  seemed  fitting  to  allude  to  these 
sentiments,  as  w^e  proceed  to  consider  the  progress  of  this  uni¬ 
versity. 

I  am  glad  to  take  this  opportunity  of  replying  in  public  to 
questions  such  as  were  asked  me  by  a  young  Baltimorean,  who 
the  other  day  said:  “Why  do  Baltimoreans  have  to  go  to  New 
Haven  or  somewhere  abroad  to  learn  about  the  Johns  Hopkins? 
“  Why  do  you  not  tell  us  what  is  being  done  ?  ”  In  order  to  do 
this  before  a  Baltimore  audience,  I  have  supposed  my  friend  to 
have  asked  the  following  questions,  to  which  I  shall  briefly  reply : 

1.  Have  great  teachers  been  attracted  to  the  university? 

2.  Have  important  courses  of  study  been  instituted  ? 

3.  Have  students  come,  and  from  whence  ? 

4.  Have  patient  and  successful  researches  been  carried  on  ? 

5.  Has  the  university  gathered  together  suitable  apparatus,  etc., 
for  study  ? 


6 


6.  Have  the  results  of  these  researches  been  given  by  the  uni¬ 
versity  to  the  world  ? 

7.  Has  the  work  done  here  been  recognized  elsewhere  ? 

8.  Has  the  training  given  proved  valuable  to  those  who  have 
received  it  ? 

9.  What  has  the  university  done  for  this  community  ? 

The  Board  of  Trustees  was  incorporated  in  August,  1869,  at 
the  instance  of  Johns  Hopkins  and  during  his  lifetime.  About 
a  year  after  the  death  of  the  founder  in  December,  1873,  the 
Board  was  put  in  possession  of  the  endowment  provided  by  his 
beneficence,  and  organized  for  work.  The  President  of  the 
Board,  the  late  Galloway  Cheston,  took  an  active  part  in  the 
enterprise,  and  by  his  advice  greatly  aided  in  laying  the  founda¬ 
tion  of  the  University,  and  his  name  will  always  be  honorably 
associated  with  its  history.  The  other  members  of  the  Board, 
all  of  whom  had  been  named  by  Johns  Hopkins,  Avere  Keverdy 
Johnson,  Jr.,  the  first  chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee, 
Francis  T.  King,  Lewis  N.  Hopkins,  Thomas  M.  Smith,  William 
Hopkins,  John  W.  Garrett,  Francis  White,  Charles  J.  M.  Gwinn, 
George  W.  Dobbin,  George  Wm.  Brown,  and  James  Carey 
Thomas. 

What  great  teachers  have  been  attracted  f 

It  was  soon  apparent  that  the  wise  and  untrammelled  directions 
of  Johns  Hopkins  to  his  trustees  to  found  a  university  would 
attract  the  attention  of  those  interested  in  the  cause  of  education, 
especially  in  the  United  States. 

The  opportunity  of  developing  an  institution  suited  to  the  needs 
of  the  country  was  sufficient  to  draw  to  Baltimore  from  across 
the  continent  the  then  President  of  the  University  of  California, 
Daniel  C.  Gilman,  who  was  named  to  the  trustees  as  the  man  best 
fitted  by  previous  training  and  devotion  to  the  study  of  educa¬ 
tional  methods,  to  advise  and  direct  the  establishment  of  the  new 
foundation,  by  his  former  colleagues  of  Yale  College — by  Presi¬ 
dent  Eliot,  of  Harvard  University,  at  once  the  most  renoAvned 
and  the  most  venerable  institution  of  learning  in  the  country — 
by  President  White,  of  Cornell  University,  then  in  the  early  days 
of  its  groAving  importance  and  usefulness — by  President  Angell, 
of  the  University  of  Michigan,  the  crowning  institution  of  learn¬ 
ing  of  the  Avell-organized  system  of  public  instruction  in  that 


7 


great  and  strong  western  State — and  by  numerous  other  leading 
educators.  At  the  request  of  the  trustees  Mr.  Gilman  came  to 
Baltimore,  and  after  consultation  with  them  accepted  the  Presi¬ 
dency  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University.  Under  his  thoughtful 
care  and  constant  and  laborious  effort  the  plan  originally  con¬ 
templated  has  been  gradually  and  harmoniously  developed. 

Besides  President  Gilman  the  University  also  drew  from  across 
the  ocean,  from  Woolwich,  England,  Professor  Sylvester,  one  of 
the  two  greatest  English  mathematicians,  and  indeed  one  of  the 
greatest  of  the  world ;  and  from  Virginia,  in  our  own  land.  Pro¬ 
fessor  Gildersleeve,  second  to  none  in  his  attainments  in  and 
devotion  to  Greek  and  other  classical  study — besides  younger 
men  whose  subsequent  career  has  justified  the  bright  promise 
of  their  early  years.  I  shall  not  mention  further  by  name  the 
present  distinguished  staff  of  Professors  and  teachers,  whose  work 
I  have  alluded  to  and  who  form  the  permanent  renown  and 
attraction  of  the  University. 

I  will  give  a  list  in  chronological  order  of  those  gentlemen, 
not  now  connected  with  the  Univei’sity,  who,  for  a  longer  or 
shorter  period,  have  lectured  here  during  the  past  ten  years  : 

In  Language  and  Literature,  Professors  F.  J.  Child,  James  Rus¬ 
sell  Lowell,  W.  E>.  Whitney,  C.  R.  Lanman,  Thomas  C.  Murray, 
H.  C.  G.  Brandt,  Sidney  Lanier,  too  early  lost.  Professors  W.  W. 
Goodwin,  J.  A.  Harrison,  J.  Rendel  Harris,  Hiram  Corson,  A.  S. 
Cook,  Messrs.  George  W.  Cable,  Edmund  Gosse,  Justin  Winsor, 
A.  Melville  Bell,  Drs.  Isaac  H.  Hall  and  W.  Hayes  Ward ;  in 
History  and  Political  Science,  Professors  T.  M.  Cooley,  F.  A. 
Walker,  W.  F.  Allen,  the  lamented  J.  L.  Diman,  H.  Von  Holst, 
Austin  Scott,  Janies  Bryce,  E.  A.  Freeman,  who  gave  six  lectures 
and  imparted  a  decided  impulse  to  historical  study  here,  R.  M. 
Venable,  Messrs.  J.  J.  Knox  and  Eugene  Schuyler;  in  Archseol- 
ogy  and  Art,  Messrs.  W.  W.  Story,  F.  Seymour  Haden,  J.  Thacher 
Clarke,  W.  J.  Stillman,  Dr.  Charles  Waldstein,  and  Mr.  Fred¬ 
erick  Wedmore  ;  in  Philosophy  and  Logic,  Professors  William 
James,  G.  S.  Morris,  Mr.  C.  S.  Pierce,  and  Dr.  Josiah  Royce ;  in 
Physical  and  Mathematical  Science,  Professors  J.  E.  Hilgard,  J. 
Willard  Gibbs,  John  Trowbridge,  A.  Graham  Bell,  S.  P.  Langley, 
Arthur  Cayley,  C.  S.  Hastings,  and  Sir  William  Thomson ;  in 
Chemistry  and  Biology,  Professors  J.  W.  Mallet,  W.  G.  Farlow, 
J.  McCrady,  W.  T.  Sedgwick,  H.  Sewall,  and  W.  Trelease. 


8 


At  our  Commencements,  Anniversaries,  and  other  gatherings, 
we  have  heard  from  Presidents  Eliot  and  White,  from  Dean 
Stanley,  Dean  Howson,  Professor  Huxley,  Archdeacon  Farrar, 
Chief  Justice  Waite,  Hon.  W.  M.  Evarts,  Dr.  W.  A.  P.  Martin, 
Dr.  W.  B.  Carpenter,  Hon.  S.  T.  Wallis,  J.  B.  Braithwaite  and 
others. 

Many  of  these  have  been  listened  to  by  those  not  members  of 
the  university  who  were  specially  interested  in  their  subjects,  and 
it  may  be  fairly  said  that  many  eminent  and  great  teachers  have 
been  both  for  long  and  short  periods  attracted  to  the  university. 

What  university  courses  are  here  offered,  and  what  graduate 
students  have  been  attracted^ 

The  courses  of  university  studies  that  have  been  pursued  have 
been  so  often  and  so  fully  referred  to  in  the  Reports  and  Circulars 
of  the  University,  that  I  can  only  enumerate  those :  in  higher 
Mathematics,  in  Physics,  in  Chemistry,  in  Mineralogy  and 
Petrography,  in  Biology ;  in  Greek,  in  Latin,  in  Sanskrit,  in 
Hebrew,  in  Aramaean,  in  Arabic,  in  Assyrian,  and  in  Sumero 
Akkadian ;  in  English,  in  German,  in  the  Romance  group  of 
languages,  including  French,  old  and  modern,  Wallachian, 
Italian,  Spanish,  Catalan,  old  Proven9al,  modern  Provencal, 
and  Portuguese ;  in  History,  ancient  and  modern,  in  Political 
Economy,  Physical  and  Historical  Geography ;  in  Psychology, 
Pedagogics  and  Philosophy,  in  Mental  Hygiene  and  Ethics.  In 
these  studies  advanced  instruction  has  been  given  by  all  avail¬ 
able  means  such  as  lectures,  laboratory  practice,  seminary  work, 
books,  models  and  plates,  in  order  to  fit  those  who  are  preparing 
for  teaching  or  special  research. 

That  these  courses  have  succeeded  in  attracting  students  of 
mature  age  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  out  of  the  total  number 
of  students  (923)  enrolled  during  the  decade,  590  have  pursued 
graduate  courses,  and  these  590  came  from  more  than  100  differ¬ 
ent  universities  and  colleges  as  widely  separated  as  Russia  and 
Japan. 


What  apparatus  and  appliances  have  been  gathered  together  f 
To  aid  in  the  instruction  given,  the  trustees  have  from  the  first 
had  in  view  securing  the  most  convenient  and  free  access  to  the 
most  modern  means  of  promoting  research.  They  were  greatly 


9 


aided  by  the  existence  in  Baltimore  of  a  library  of  unusual  value 
to  students — the  gift  of  the  late  George  Peabody,  and  brought 
together  with  much  care  and  diligence  by  the  trustees,  the 
provost,  and  the  librarian  of  the  Peabody  Institute — and  which  has 
been  liberally  opened  to  members  of  the  university.  As  a  supple¬ 
ment  to  the  Peabody  collections  the  university  has* placed  within 
its  own  walls  twenty-nine  thousand  volumes — a  portion  of  which 
are  standard  reference  books  needed  by  all  the  teachers  and 
students,  the  remainder  are  special  and  often  costly  books  which 
have  been  called  for  by  the  specialists  here  engaged  in  work. 

The  plans  of  the  university  being  at  first,  from  the  nature  of 
the  case,  tentative,  the  work  was  begun  in  two  dwelling  houses 
purchased  in  1875,  on  Howard  street  near  Monument  street,  and 
in  a  hall  erected  at  the  time  and  named  after  the  founder,  which 
contained  an  assembly  room  and  accommodations  for  the  library 
and  for  the  biological  laboratory,  and  in  a  chemical  laboratory 
built  at  the  same  time,  and  this  was  for  some  time  the  modest  seat 
of  the  university.  The  location  was  found  more  convenient  than 
had  been  foreseen,  both  for  students  who  lived  in  the  city  and  for 
those  that  came  from  elsewhere,  who  readily  found  accommodation 
in  lodgings  suited  to  their  taste  and  means.  Easy  access  was  had 
to  the  Peabody  and  other  collections  of  books,  as  those  of  the  His¬ 
torical  Society,  and  later  of  the  Pratt  Library,  and  there  have 
gradually  grown  around  the  present  site  complete  and  well 
equipped  laboratories.  The  chemical  laboratory  has  been  greatly 
enlarged  and  perfected.  The  biological  laboratory  adjoining 
has  been  erected  after  plans  suggested  by  years  of  work  and  by 
comparison  with  foreign  institutions  of  a  similar  kind,  and  there 
is  now  building  near  by  the  physical  laboratory,  of  which  Pro¬ 
fessor  Kowland  has  been  speaking  to  you  to-day.  Laboratory 
work  in  pathology  has  been  begun  in  one  of  the  buildings  of  the 
Johns  Hopkins  Hospital,  and  it  is  intended  to  erect  the  Medical 
School  on  a  lot  now  owned  by  the  university,  adjacent  to  the 
hospital. 

Into  these  various  buildings  have  been  gathered,  at  the  sug¬ 
gestion  and  under  the  careful  personal  supervision  of  various 
experts,  about  $70,000  worth  of  apparatus  of  the  most  approved 
modern  make,  thus  placing  within  the  reach  of  investigators  the 
means  of  pursuing  advanced  research  as  well  as  enabling  students 


10 


to  become  familiar  by  personal  use  with  the  newest  methods  of 
study  and  experiment. 

What  research  is  carried  on — and  what  has  been  published  f 

The  researches  which  have  been  made  have  been  many  and 
varied.  I  cannot  refer  to  the  more  technical,  such  as  those  in 
mathematics  and  inorganic  chemistry,  &c.,  but  briefly  to  the  more 
easily  stated. 

Our  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the  sun,  as  perceived  through 
the  solar  spectrum,  has  received  accessions  from  the  beautiful 
image,  thrown  from  the  gratings  first  made  here  by  the  agency 
of  a  wonderful  dividing  engine,  the  invention  of  the  Professor 
of  Physics.  From  this  image  a  map  of  the  spectrum  has  been 
published,  very  much  more  minute  than  any  before  made. 

Researches  in  electricity  and  magnetism  have  been  made  under 
the  auspices  of  the  United  States  Government,  with  the  coopera¬ 
tion  of  other  nations  ;  the  mechanical  equivalent  of  heat  has  been 
re-determined ;  investigations  have  been  conducted  in  physiology, 
especially  of  the  heart’s  action ;  lower  animal  life  has  been  studied, 
especially  that  of  the  oyster  in  connection  with  the  State  of  Mary¬ 
land  ;  both  here  and  in  Boston  the  cause  of  water  pollution  in 
great  reservoirs  has  been  discovered  ;  the  curious  geological  forma¬ 
tion  of  our  own  neighborhood  has  been  brought  to  notice  and  has 
attracted  wide  attention.  The  philologians  and  grammarians 
have  been  engaged  in  the  investigation  of  Greek  and  Latin 
syntax ;  in  editing  ancient  writings,  such  as  Pindar,  the  newly 
discovered  Greek  MSS.  of  the  Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
and  part  of  an  old  Syriac  MS.  of  the  New  Testament.  Baltimore 
is  now  one  of  the  centres  for  the  interpretation  of  Sanskrit  texts 
and  of  Assyrian  inscriptions.  A  great  contribution  has  been  made 
to  the  study  of  American  Institutions,  and  new  methods  of  his¬ 
torical  research  and  of  publication  have  been  initiated. 

It  is  with  satisfaction  that  I  state  that  these  researches  have 
been  widely  recognized  at  home  and  abroad,  not  as  promises  for 
the  future,  but  as  successful  experiments  recorded,  and  con¬ 
clusions  reached  which  have  passed  into  the  history  of  science. 
By  means  of  them  the  fame  of  the  univei’sity  has  been  carried 
into  every  seat  of  learning  in  the  world,  from  Oxford  and  Cam¬ 
bridge  in  England,  to  Tokio,  Japan ;  from  the  northern  and  more 
modern  universities  of  Sweden  and  Russia  to  the  ancient  seats  of 


11 


learning  in  Italy  and  Southern  Europe.  The  exchanges  on  the 
shelves  of  our  library,  received  with  almost  every  foreign  mail  in 
return  for  the  six  scientific  journals  published  by  the  university,^ 
attest  both  its  importance  and  its  estimation  outside  its  own  walls. 
Besides  this,  personal  and  unsolicited  testimonials  from  eminent 
men  are  on  file  in  the  office  which  have  been  received  from  many 
quarters. 

These  researches,  delicate,  prolonged,  and  important,  and  others 
not  now  mentioned,  have  been  made  by  Professors,  Fellows,  and 
advanced  students.  Indeed  the  whole  plan  of  fellowships  has  in 
reality  been  a  most  practical  and  efficient  endowment  of  research 
and  has  richly  repaid  the  university  and  the  community  in  the 
importance  and  value  of  the  results  obtained. 

Twenty  young  men  who  have  not  quite  completed  their  work, 
as  students  following  masters,  but  who  have  gone  far  enough  to 
indicate  that  they  are  possessed  of  unusual  ability,  are  annually 
chosen  by  the  Academic  Council  and  are  encouraged  by  a  gener¬ 
ous  stipend  to  devote  all  their  time  to  study  which  is  not  of  a  dis¬ 
tinctively  professional  character.  They  are  chosen  because  of  the 
hope  they  give  of  future  achievements,  or  are  selected  on  the  evi¬ 
dence  they  submit  of  their  previous  intellectual  attainments.  The 
system  here  adopted  has  elsewhere  been  followed. 

What  has  been  the  value  of  this  training  f 

Has  the  training  here  been  of  value  to  the  men  that  have  sub¬ 
mitted  to  the  severe  ordeal  of  discipline  and  who  have  often 
surrendered  honorable  and  lucrative  positions  to  avail  themselves 
of  the  advantages  offered  for  research  and  study  ?  Or  in  other 
words  are  the  diplomas  to  be  given  to-day  as  testimonials  of  the 
University  to  the  attainments  of  those  to  whom  they  are  so 
worthily  awarded,  of  real  value  to  their  possessors  ? 

Of  the  69  persons  who  in  these  ten  years  have  been  admitted  to 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosophy,  denoting  proficiency  in  var- 

^  1.  The  American  Journal  of  Mathematics,  commenced  in  1878,  now  in 
its  eighth  volume;  2.  The  American  Chemical  Journal,  commenced  in  1879, 
now  in  its  eighth  volume ;  3.  The  American  Journal  of  Philology,  commenced 
in  1880,  now  in  its  seventh  volume ;  4.  Studies  from  the  Biological  Labora¬ 
tory,  commenced  in  1879,  now  in  its  third  volume;  5.  Studies  in  Histori¬ 
cal  and  Political  Science,  begun  in  1882,  of  which  the  fourth  series  is  in 
progress;  6.  The  Johns  Hopkins  University  Circulars,  begun  in  1879,  of 
which  forty-nine  numbers  have  been  issued. 


12 


ious  lines  of  special  graduate  study,  either  in  letters  or  in  science, 
56  have  obtained  honorable  positions  as  professors  and  teachers  in 
32  universities  and  colleges ;  and  of  the  90  to  whom  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts  has  been  given,  20  have  engaged  in  teaching  in 
16  colleges  and  high  schools. 

I  will  conclude  this  part  of  my  subject  by  quoting  the  reply 
made  by  a  graduate  student  from  North  Carolina,  when  asked 
what  he  had  found  here  of  most  use,  he  replied :  “  The  freedom 
of  access  to  able  teachers  and  the  stimulant  of  studying  in  com¬ 
pany  with  men  of  maturer  minds  than  one  meets  elsewhere.” 

But  ivhat  has  the  university  done  for  this  community  f 

Besides  the  incidental  advantages  which  must  accrue  to  any 
community  from  the  presence  of  a  great  seat  of  learning,  the  trus¬ 
tees  have  had  in  mind  from  the  first  the  special  needs  of  this  city 
and  state.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  late  war  fewer  boys  were  at 
college  than  at  former  periods.  Many  young  men  here  and 
further  south  had  foregone  college  training,  and  circumstances 
forbade  the  sending  of  others  who  were  growing  up.  It  was 
manifest  that  the  need  of  our  own  people  was  first  a  college  in 
order  to  train  for  life,  or  for  further  university  instruction.  So 
side  by  side  with  the  university  has  developed  the  college  depart¬ 
ment  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University.  This  was  begun  when 
the  discussion  of  a  fixed,  a  free  or  wholly  or  partly  elective  col¬ 
lege  course  had  not  been  so  warmly  debated  as  at  the  present 
time,  but  it  was  evident  that  the  wide  range  which  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  various  branches  of  knoAvledge  has  taken  since  the  old 
arrangement  of  college  studies  was  effected,  and  the  limited  time 
Avhich  can  ordinarily  be  devoted  by  students  to  preparation  for 
their  life  work,  made  a  readjustment  of  the  college  course  desirable. 
This  was  accomplished  here  by  arranging,  after  a  fixed  matricula¬ 
tion,  the  studies  in  groups  rather  than  years,  and  demanding  in 
each  group  a  certain  required  amount  of  training  in  other  than 
the  main  study  of  the  course.  Thus  classical  students  are  required 
to  study  some  science,  scientific  students  some  classics,  and  all  to 
receive  a  fixed  amount  of  general  English  training  in  literature, 
ethics,  philosophy,  and  modern  languages. 

The  seven  groups,  for  which,  in  accordance  Avith  these  princi¬ 
ples,  arrangements  are  noAA^  made,  are  these : — 

1.  Classical, — corresponding  closely  Avith  Avhat  has  been  hitherto 
knoAvn  in  this  country  as  the  usual  college  course ; 


13 


2.  Mathematical-Physical, — which  meets  the  wants  of  those  who 
are  expecting  to  enter  upon  the  modern  vocations  in  which  rigid 
mathematical  discipline  is  indispensable  ; 

3.  Chemical-Biological, — which  is  adapted  to  those,  among 
others,  who  expect  to  enter  upon  the  subsequent  study  of 
medicine ; 

4.  Physical-Chemical, — which  is  most  likely  to  be  followed  by 
students  preparing  for  those  scientific  pursuits  which  are  neither 
chiefly  mathematical  nor  chiefly  biological ; 

5.  Latin-Mathematical, — which  affords  a  good  fundamental 
training,  without  prolonged  attention  to  the  study  of  Greek ; 

6.  Historical-Political, — which  furnishes  a  basis  for  the  subse¬ 
quent  study  of  law  ; 

7.  Modern  Language, — where  French,  German,  English,  and 
in  exceptional  cases,  other  modern  languages,  take  the  place  of 
Latin  and  Greek  in  the  traditional  classical  course. 

It  cannot  be  said  that  this  arrangement  is  perfect,  but  it  has 
worked  well  and  great  effort  is  made  to  have  it  at  once  liberal  and 
adapted  to  the  exigencies  of  active  life.  I  should  like  all  the 
time  at  my  disposal  to  expand  more  fully  this  slight  sketch  of  the 
college  course  which  lies  near  my  own  heart,  but  must  content 
myself  with  stating  that  it  has  from  the  first  attracted  our  owui 
boys  to  whom  great  inducement  has  been  held  out,  and  who  have 
proved  some  of  our  most  enthusiastic  and  successful  students,  have 
won  for  themselves  many  of  our  own  fellowships,  and  have  gone 
out  to  positions  of  importance  and  emolument.  Their  number  is 
rapidly  increasing  and  the  university  is  constantly  endeavoring  to 
make  closer  the  connection  between  the  high  schools,  whether 
private  or  public,  and  the  collegiate  department  of  the  Johns 
Hopkins  University. 

Various  free  scholarships  are  annually  offered  to  students 
coming  from  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  North  Carolina,  and  have 
been  held  by  150  students  from  these  States.  The  existence 
in  our  midst  of  such  advantages  is  stimulating  our  young  men  to 
avail  themselves  of  them,  and  is  increasing  the  number  and  effi¬ 
ciency  of  preliminary  schools.  We  have  now  in  the  collegiate 
department  one  hundred  and  thirty  students. 

I  have  thus,  in  the  briefest  and  most  prosaic  manner  endeavored 
to  summarize  the  work  of  ten  years  into  the  space  of  twice  as 


14 


many  minutes.  It  has  been  impossible  ;  although  I  have  not  even 
glanced  at  the  various  literary  and  scientific  societies  formed  for 
themselves  by  the  members  of  the  university,  nor  alluded  to  the 
common  college  life,  nor  spoken  of  the  work  of  the  Christian 
Association  of  the  University  which  has  served  an  excellent  pur¬ 
pose,  but  yet  I  think  that  I  have  shown  that  something  has  been 
done  to  bring  together  great  teachers,  to  start  liberal  courses  of 
study,  to  attract  students,  to  collect  libraries  and  apparatus,  to 
stimulate  research,  to  publish  results,  and  have  stated  in  what 
manner  this  work  has  been  recognized,  and  how  the  needs  of  this 
community  have  been  considered. 

But  I  am  sure  that  in  reaching  these  conclusions  you  must  feel 
how  little  has  been  done  in  comparison  with  what  is  practicable 
with  longer  time  and  greater  resources.  The  perpetuation  and 
enlargement  of  the  university  on  a  broad  and  liberal  foundation 
should  be  the  pride  of  every  citizen.  It  is  a  great  trust  to  be 
handed  down  to  those  who  shall  succeed  us.  Let  us  be  careful  to 
see  that  no  detriment  happen  to  it. 

Amidst  the  jarring  of  contending  factions  and  classes  there 
needs  must  be  thoughtful  men,  trained  to  habits  of  patient  inves¬ 
tigation  and  quiet  study — amidst  the  rush  of  business  and  compe¬ 
tition,  men  who  in  secluded  laboratories  pass  hours  and  days  in 
subtile  experiments — amidst  the  selfishness  of  politicians  and 
placemen,  historians  and  philosophers  and  teachers  who  can  recall 
the  lessons  of  past  ages  and  vindicate  the  great  moral  principles 
which  underlie  all  true  progress. 

For  these  and  other  great  purposes  universities  should  exist 
and  be  richly  endowed.  They  should  be  few,  but  strong. 

A  president  of  a  growing  western  college,  last  week  in  Balti¬ 
more,  emphasized  most  strongly  the  importance  of  adding  efficiency 
to  existing  universities  in  order  to  make  them  great  centres  for 
training  and  research.  The  possessors  of  great  wealth,  most  fre¬ 
quently  in  this  country  accumulated  in  the  course  of  a  single  life, 
have  often  felt  their  responsibility  in  its  ultimate  destination. 
They  have  in  many  instances,  amongst  which  the  course  of  Johns 
Hopkins  is  conspicuous,  returned  their  accumulated  gains  to  the 
community  in  noble  gifts,  founding  great  institutions  of  learning 
and  great  charities,  for  the  training  of  the  future  citizen  and  for 
the  alleviation  of  human  suffering.  These  should  be  fostered  and 


r 


15 

enlarged,  as  has  been  done  at  Harvard  and  at  Cornell,  in  order 
that  the  greatest  good  may  be  accomplished. 

The  training  of  men  is  after  all  the  most  important  end  of  all 
educational  effort.  It  is  to  you,  young  men,  the  sons  of  this  new 
foundation,  that  your  teachers  and  friends  look  as  the  best  evidence 
of  the  success  of  their  endeavor.  Your  learning,  your  usefulness, 
your  accomplishments,  your  high  aims  and  noble  character,  your 
achievements,  whether  in  the  pulpit  or  the  forum,  the  college  or 
the  laboratory,  at  home  and  abroad  will  afford  a  continual  and 
living  reminder  of  this,  the  place  of  your  training. 

To  a  State  founded  on  the  beneficent  precepts  of  Christianity, 
the  walls  of  its  defense  must  be  not  the  physical  strength  of 
its  citizens  but  their  moral  character.  In  vain  will  science 
harness  the  powers  of  the  universe  unless  they  are  yoked  to 
the  chariot  of  peace  and  good  will.  In  vain  will  learning  and 
training  give  efficiency  to  individual  influence  and  native  genius, 
unless  the  purposes  of  the  man  are  noble  and  far-reaching.  The 
truth  which  sets  free,  is  the  truth  which  warms  the  heart  and 
expands  the  sympathies,  as  well  as  enlightens  the  intellect,  which 
is  of  Him  who  is  the  truth  Himself.  Let  us  have  confidence  in 
the  supremacy  of  truth.  Such  has  hitherto  been  the  guiding 
lamp  of  the  Johns  Hopkins  University.  May  it  ever  be  the 
beacon  of  the  future. 


•jjrc  ^’1 

CIC22  1^ 
UNlVEBSiTT  luuMv}?. 


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